Humidifier



' Nov. 7, 1939. s K; B LARSEN 2,179,470

HUMIDIFIER Filed Sept. 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Swan K5 Z/IFSEN NOW. 7, 1939. s K, sE 2,179.470

HUMIDIFIER Filed Sept. 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In flew Z02" Sonya/(E Lmasav Patented Nov. 7, 1939 I E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUMIIZDIFIEB Soren K. B. Larsen, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application September 16, 1937, Serial No. 164,185

8 Claims. ((71. 261-92) This invention relates to a humidifying device vided with a groove opening downwardly in which and particularly to such a device comprising a is received the upper edges or the reticulate portable unit which can be disposed in the rooms panels 10b and I00. Between the strips Illa and to be humidified. illd are disposed at the corners of the casing It is an object of this invention to provide a angle posts ill! having sides at right angles, the 5 humidifier enclosed in a casing and comprising outer surfaces or which are substantially flush readily accessible and removable parts as well with the outer surfaces of strips Ma and lid. as one which can be very easily operated and All of said members Ila, Illd and III! are prefercontrolled. It is a further object of the invenably made 0! sheet metal and the corner posts tion to provide a self contained humidifier haviii! are secured at their top and bottoms to strips 1 ing a supply of water therein and simple and Illa and Hid in any suitable manner as by weldefilcient means for lifting and distributing said ing. Corner posts ill! have their edges at right water so that it may be easily evaporated. angles and provided with vertically extending It is still another object of the invention to grooves which receive the end edges of the panels provide a humidifier lifting and distributing illb and lilo. Posts ID! are also provided at their 15 means of simple, novel and efficient construction. bottoms with horizontal flanges luff which are These and other objects and advantages of the perforated to have pass therethrough the headed invention will be fully set forth in the following screws II for a purpose to be later described. A description made in connection with the accomcover l2 having a vertically depending flange i2'a panying drawings in which like reference characextending thereabout is provided for easing i0. 20 ters refer to similar parts throughout the several said cover being shown as imperforate. A pan views and in which: or receptacle I3 is provided which is also of rec- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of the casing tangular form in horizontal and vertical cross containing the device; section and is of a size to pass easily within the Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section strip Illa. Pan l3 has inwardly extending lugs 5 through the device; l3a at its corners and adjacent its top which are Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with the tapped to receive the screws H, which screws casing cover removed; support said pan and hold it in place. The bot- Fig. 41s a vertical section taken substantially tom of pan I3 is substantially flush with the on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrow; lower edges of strips Illa. A bearing member I 30 Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially has a flange Ila secured to the bottom of pan on line 5--5 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrow; It by any suitable means such as rivets. said Fig. 6 is a partial view in vertical section taken bearing having a standard Mb in the form 0! a substantially on line 8-6 of Fig. 2 as indicated rod threaded at its upper end on which is adby the arrows; and iustably mounted the threaded bearing portion 35 Fig. '7 is an end view of one oi. the bearings ilc having avertically extending open-ended slot used showing the supported shaft therein. therein. Another bearing i! having similar parts Referring to the drawings, a humidifier is is secured some distance from bearing N. the shown comprising a casing Iii. While this casing same having the threaded and adjustable upper 40 m ht take various forms, in the embodiment of bearing-portion lie. Portion We also has a ver- 40 the invention illustrated, it is shown as rectangutically extending slot therein open' at its upper lar in horizontal and vertical cross section. Said end. A shait l8 has one end supported in the casing comprises a comparatively wide bottom slot in bearing portion I40 and has its other end strip Illa which extends around four sides therereceived in the slot in bearing portion I50. Shaft of. Said strip is reversely folded at its bottom It has secured thereto adjacent its ends frames 45 and is further reversely folded at its top edge IT, each having a hub secured to said shaft with and provided with a groove open at its top in radially and circumierentlally spaced lugs therewhich is received the lower edges oi the recticuon from which extend radially the rods I! havlate side panels Iilb and the reticulate end paning their ends secured in said lugs. Rods II at els inc. Said casinghas a top strip lild sometheir outer ends have secured thereto and ex- 50 what narrower than the strip Illa also extending tending therebetween metal strips l9. A pluralabout four sides of the casing, the same having ity of spirally wound sheet screen members 2| its top edge bent at right angles and again reare secured to the strips I! at one end and to versely bent to form a top flange ille. The botrods It at their other ends. said screens beine tom of strip ilid is also reversely bent and proarranged in nested and overlapping relation, as 55 shown in Fig. 4. One screen 20 has one end or longitudinal edge thereof secured to the strip I9 shown at the right hand end of the horizontal rod I8 at the right hand side of Fig. 4, said screen extending in helical relation for one and onequarter revolutions and has its ends secured to the vertically extending rods I8. Another one of the screens 20 has its ends or longitud nal edge secured to the strip I9 at the bottom of Fig. 4 and the same extends for one and one-quarter revolutions in helical form and has its end secured to the horizontally extending rods I8 at the right of Fig. 4. Similarly the other two screen members 29 have one end or longitudinal edge secured to the strip I9 at the top and the left hand side respectively of Fig. 4 and the same extends through one and one-quarter revolutions and have their other ends secured to the rods I8. The convolutions of screens 20 are thus arranged in radially and equally spaced relation and said screens form a member of general cylindrical form. The strips or bars I9 are slightly oflset at one end and have secured thereto as by spot welding a cylindrical rim 2I. Rim 2| rests at its upper and its inner or concave side upon a roller 22. Roller 22 is secured to one end of a small shaft 23 journaled in a bearing 24 held in the bight of a bracket member 25 formed of a strip or bar of rectangular cross section which has sid'es diverging downwardly and provided with outwardly extending horizontal foot portions which are secured to the bottom of pan I3 by the headed screws 26. The upper or bight portion of bracket 25 has vertically extending spaced portions immediately below the bearing 24 through which passes the headed and nutted bolt 21 holding the side portions of bracket 25 in position and clamping bearing 24 therein Shaft 23 has secured thereto between roller 22 and bearing 24 a grooved wheel 28 having in its periphery a frictional tire o'r annular member 29 of rubber or similar friction material. A motor 30 is disposed in casing I0 and has trunnion pins 3I extending horizontally from the sides thereof and journaled in the vertically extending brackets 32 which have horizontal flanges or foot portions engaging the bottom of pan I3 and secured thereto by the screws 33. Washers or bushings 34 of insulating material are disposed about pins 3| at either side of brackets 32. Motor 30 is thus mounted for swinging movement about pins 3| and said motor has secured to the armature thereof and projecting therefrom a shaft 35 which in the normal position of motor 30 engages the bottom of tire 29. A fan 36 is secured to shaft 35 adjacent motor 30. Motor 30 has secured thereto and projecting upwardly therefrom, a rod 31. A bracket 38 has a vertical flange secured to one end portion of strip Id and has a horizontally extending portion which is reversely bent at one end and extends about the upper end of rod 31. Said bracket thus having a U-shaped or hook-shaped end. A screw 39 extends between the sides of bracket 38 and a cam lever 40 is journaled on screw 39, said lever having a handle or finder portion 40a. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that screw 39 is eccentric to lever 40 and that if said lever is swung upwardly about said screw it will cam or push rod 31 to the left as seen in Fig. 2, thus oscillating motor 30 and depressing shaft 35. Conductors 300. are shown as leading from motor 30 and the same extend through an insulating bushing H in the end panel I00.

It is desirable to maintain water at a certain level in pan- I3 and for this purpose a valve 42 is secured to one of the brackets 32, the same having an inlet pipe to tube 42a extending through said bracket to which may be connected a flexible tube 43 which may extend to a suitable water supply. Valve 42 may be opened or closed by the movement of a vertically extending plunger rod 42b which is pivoted at its upper end to one end of a lever 44 having afloat 45 at one end thereof. Lover 44 is pivoted adjacent its other end to a downwardly extending bracket 46 having a reduced threaded portion extending through an angle bracket 41 which is secured in any suitable manner to bracket 32, said reduced portion of bracket 46 being equipped with a nut 48 at the upper side of bracket 41.

In operation, the device will be disposed in a suitable location in the room to be humidified and it may be conveniently supported upon a radiator. Tube 43 will be connected to a source of water supply such as to the pipes of a city supply and valve 42b will be adjusted so that float 45 will maintain a certain level in pan I3. It will be noted that the lower part of the screen member formed by the screens 20 extends into the pan I3 and will thus extend into the water therein. Current will be supplied to motor 30 and said motor will be operated. Shaft 35 will be rapidly rotated and this will rotate fan 36 so that a current of air will be directed through the screen members 20 and out through the reticulate panels of casing I0. Shaft 35 engages the bottom of member 29 on wheel 28 and said wheel is rotated by the friction of said shaft. Wheel 23 rotates roller 22 and since rim 2| carrying the screen member rests on roller 22, said rim and screen member are slowly rotated by said roller. The screen members 20 pick up moisture from pan I3 and carry it upwardly as they rotate. This moisture is evaporated by the current of air from fan 36 and passes out into the atmosphere which is thus humidified. The level of Water as stated, is maintained in pan I2 by the float mechanism. It will be noted that shaft I6 normally rests in bearing portion I4c but does not normally engage the bottom of the groove in bearing portion I5c. The device can be operated of course, without the continuous water supply and in such case water would have to be periodically placed in pan I3. This can be done by removing the cover I2. When water is thus poured into pan I3 it is desirable to have the screen portion of the screens 20 uppermost instead of bars or strips I9. In order to easily turn the screen member to the desired position cam lever 40 can be swung upwardly to push rod 31 to the left as shown in Fig. 2 and thus swing motor 30 and move shaft 35 downwardly. This disengages shaft 35 and member 29 on wheel 28 and the screen can then be turned to the desired position. Water can then easily be poured through the screen into the pan I3. When lever 40 is swung downwardly, motor 30 will resume its normal position and shaft 35 will reengage member 29 so that wheel 28 will be driven. To guard against the operator forgetting to move lever 40 downwardly, said lever is positioned so that when cover I2 is placed on the casing it will engage lever 40 and move the same downwardly thus reengaging shaft 35 and member 29.

. It will be noted that the pan I3 carries the screen member, motor and associated parts and that these and the pan are supported by the screws II. By removing screws II therefore, the pan I3 with the parts carried thereby can easily alvauo be removed from the casing or the casing can be lifted from about the pan and other parts. The bearing portions Me and lie can be brought to the desired position by merely being rotated on their standards.

The screen members 20 have binding at their longitudinal edges', the binding at one end being secured to members l9 and at the other end being secured tothe rods l8 as shown in Fig. 6. By having the screen members of spiral form they will be moistened by passing through the water in pan l3 .even though there is very little water in the pan. The end of the screen at its largest diameter will pass through the water and the water will then run down the screen as it rotates so that it will reach the innermost convolution. This would not be the cause if the screens were of cylindrical form and of different diameters in concentric relation.

It is obvious that the device could be made of such size that it could be placed in the basement of a dwelling andair taken therefrom conducted by a suitable conduit to the rooms to be humidifled. The humidified air could also if desired, be directed into the delivery conduit of a hot air furnace so that it would thus be delivered to the rooms to be humidified.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided 'a very simple and highly efficient humidifying device which may be automatically operated. The device has ample capacity for giving the desired humidification. The device can be made of very pleasing appearance by suitably finishing. the outside of the casing. While various forms of perforations could be used for the reticulate panels lb and lllc in the embodiment shown, the perforations are arranged to represent the well known cane or rattan weaving commonly used on chairs. A very attractive device is thus formed. The device has been amplydemonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and eflicient and the same is being commercially made.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicant's invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: I

1. A humidifier having in combination, 2. casing, a pan in said casing adapted to contain water, a bearing upstanding from one end of said pan, a screen member of general cylindrical form having a central shaft supported in said bearing, said member extending into said pan, 9. second bearing having a vertically extending slot therein for receiving the other endof said shaft, said screen having a cylindrical rim at the and adjacent said second bearing, a friction roller on which said rim rests on its upper concave side, means for rotating said roller to rotate said screen and means for directing a current of air through said screen.

2. A humidifier having in combination, a casing, a pan in the bottom of said casing for containing water, a screen member of general cylindrical form having an imperforate cylindrical rim at one end and extending into said pan, a rotating frictional roller on which said rim rests at its upper concave side, a friction wheel secured to said roller, a motor disposed in said casing and 3. In a humidifying device, a water lifting and carrying member comprising a plurality of spirally wound screens, said screens having their outer longitudinal edges disposed in circumferentially spaced relation, said screens extending in nested and radially spaced relatitm and means for supporting said screens.

4. A humidifier having in combination, a casing, a pen in the bottom of said casing, a screen having a cylindrical rim at one end, means for supporting and frictlonally rotating said rim and screen, comprising a wheel with a frictional periphery, a motor oscillatably mounted in said casing having a shaft engaging said wheel, said motor being movable to position to disengage said shaft and wheel, a rod extending vertically from said motor and a cam lever positioned to engage and move said shaft and motor to disengage said shaft and wheel.

5. A humidifier having in combination, 9, casing, a pen in the bottom of said casing, a screen having a cylindrical rim at one end, means for supporting and frictionally rotating said rim and screen, comprising a wheel with a frictional periphery, a motor oscillatably mounted in said casing having a shaft engaging said wheel, said motor being movable to position to disengage said shaft and wheel, a member extending vertically from said motor, a cam lever positioned to engage said member and swing said shaft and motor to disengage said shaft and wheel, a cover for said casing adapted to engage said lever and move the same to permit said motor to move to position to reengage said shaft and wheel.

6. A humidifier having in combination, a casing, a screen member of substantially cylindrical form disposed in said casing, means for supporting one end-of said member and rotating the same including a wheel having a frictional periphery, a motor having a shaft projecting therefrom engaging said wheel to rotate the same, and means for moving said motor to separate said shaft from said wheel to disengage the rotation of said screen member.

'7. A humidifier having in combination, 9. casing having reticulate walls, a pan in the bottom of said casing for holding water, a rotatable screen member comprising a series of radially spaced layers of screen supported in said casing and having its lower portion disposed in said water, a motor mounted in said casing having a driving shaft whose axis is substantially parallel to but spaced from the axis of said screen, a frictional driving means for rotating said screen from said motor including said motor shaft, said motor being movably mounted to move said shaft and render said drive inoperative and a fan driven by said motor for directing air through said screen and the walls of said casing.

8. In a humidifying device a water lifting and carrying member comprising a shaft and a series of spirally wound sheet screen members extending around said shaft having their layers respectively in radially spaced relation and having their ends circumferentially spaced, all of said screens being disposed between planes extending through the side edges of one of the same and perpendicular to said shaft, said screens being supported from said shaft.

SOREN K. B. LARSEN. 

